The Jiangnan Examination Hall, situated in the southeast corner of Nanjing City, is a significant historical landmark. It stands as one of the largest imperial examination venues in ancient China, serving as a crucial place for selecting scholars in southern China. This architectural complex is also recognized as one of the three ancient building groups in the Confucius Temple area and is an integral part of the Confucius Temple-Qinhuai Scenic Belt.
Traced back to its origins, the Jiangnan Examination Hall was first established in 1168, during the fourth year of the Qiandao era in the Southern Song Dynasty. It was initiated by Shi Zhengzhi, the prefectural magistrate of Jiankang (present-day Nanjing). Initially, the hall was used for county-level school examinations, occupying a small area with a limited number of examinees. As the number of candidates grew, Buddhist temples were temporarily utilized for the conduct of examinations. Over time, the complex underwent continuous expansion during the Ming and Qing dynasties. By the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, the Jiangnan Examination Hall had developed into a vast complex, comprising 20,644 examination cubicles, along with over a thousand official rooms designated for examiners, supervisors, invigilators, inspectors, and other officials, including co-examiners and administrators. The complex also included facilities for meals, warehouses, miscellaneous services, and guards, as well as land allocated for ponds, gardens, bridges, passages, and sentry towers, making it the largest and most expansive examination venue in the country.
Visiting the Jiangnan Examination Hall is a year-round opportunity, with the hall open daily from 09:00 to 21:00. On special occasions such as New Year’s Day, Spring Festival, Tomb Sweeping Day, Labor Day, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and National Day, the hall extends its opening hours to 22:00, providing additional time for visitors to explore this remarkable piece of history.Preferential policies:
– Children: Free for those under 1.4 meters in height (inclusive) or under 6 years old (inclusive).
– Elderly:
– Free for those over 70 years old (inclusive) with an elderly card.
– For those aged 60 (inclusive) to 70 (exclusive), show your ID card when exchanging tickets for discounted tickets.
– Students: For those over 1.4 meters in height (inclusive) and under 22 years old (inclusive), show your student ID card when exchanging tickets for discounted tickets.
– Those who have performed acts of bravery: Free admission with valid certificates of acts of bravery.
– Firefighters: Free admission with valid fire rescue certificates.
– Blood donors: Free admission with valid blood donation honor certificates.
– Retired cadres: Retired cadres with valid retirement certificates (one accompanying person is allowed), and military retired cadres with valid retirement certificates can visit the park for free.
– Disabled people: Disabled people with valid disability certificates can visit the park for free. (Disabled people with grade 1 or 2 disabilities can bring one accompanying person for free).
– Military personnel: Active-duty military personnel can visit the park for free with valid military certificates (military officer certificates, soldier certificates, and civilian cadre certificates).
– Veterans and other entitled groups: Veterans and other entitled groups can visit the park for free with preferential treatment certificates (‘Preferential Treatment Certificate for Veterans of the People’s Republic of China’, ‘Preferential Treatment Certificate for Relatives of Martyrs, Military Personnel Killed in the Line of Duty, and Military Personnel Died of Illnesses of the People’s Republic of China’) and their ID cards.Service Facilities Overview:
1. Parking Lot:
– Name: Laiyan Shopping Mall Parking Lot
– Price: ¥8 per hour
– Location: Intersection of Laiyan Road and Wuyi Lane
– Capacity: 61 parking spaces
2. Luggage Storage:
– Price: Free
3. Scenic Area Commentary:
– Service: Commentary services are available for purchase at the ticket office.
4. Stroller Rental:
– Price: Free (with a deposit of 500 yuan required)
– Location: Tourist Center
5. Restrooms:
– Availability: Multiple restrooms throughout the park, all marked with directional signs.
6. Nursery:
– Location: Adjacent to the restroom area, a nursery is available for mothers and infants.
7. Dining:
– Options: A variety of snack shops are situated around the scenic area.
8. Convenience Stores:
– Location: Found on the first floor of Jiangnan Gongyuan and in the basement of the Imperial Examination Museum.
– Products: Offering drinks and snacks.
– Payment: WeChat and Alipay payments are supported.
